Feb. 14, 2014

Written by

Free Press Staff Writer

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America will continue to allow hydroponic farms to be certified “organic” as long as they follow established guidelines, says Miles McEvoy, who oversees the National Organic Program (NOP) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

McEvoy was unable to respond to a phone interview, according to an agency spokesman. But he agreed to answer questions submitted by email:

Miles McEvoy: Hydroponic operations that comply with the current USDA organic regulations for crop production may be certified as organic. Current USDA regulations do not prohibit hydroponics.

At some point in the future, NOP may address specific questions regarding hydroponic growing and how the regulations apply to such methods. Any changes in the regulations that might be proposed by NOP in the future would involve multiple opportunities for public comment.

BFP: From what I understand, the NOP has not acted on a 2010 recommendation from its advisory body, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) that hydroponics be excluded from organic certification. Why has NOP not acted on that recommendation?

MM: The NOP continues to work on evaluating and implementing a backlog of older NOSB recommendations. The NOSB’s 2010 recommendation on crop production in containers and enclosures (e.g. greenhouses) recommended that hydroponics not be certifiable. As certifiers and producers apply the current regulations to enclosed production systems, the NOP continues to evaluate the compliance issues and updates its regulatory workplans accordingly.

BFP: What is preventing the NOP from re-opening deliberations on the issue by the NOSB?

MM: The NOSB completed their final recommendations on greenhouses in 2010. If the NOP determines that further recommendations are needed on greenhouse production or hydroponics then we would work with the NOSB to add it to the Board’s workplan for additional public input and deliberation.

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BFP: To what extent is NOP’s hydroponic/organic policy steered by marketing concerns — and to what extent is NOP under pressure to increase the number of organic growers?

MM: The mission of the National Organic Program is ensuring the integrity of organic products in the United States and throughout the world. We continue to implement a “sound and sensible” certification process to support certification that is affordable, accessible and attainable by organic farmers and businesses.

BFP: Is the NOP/USDA working to persuade this country’s trading partners to abandon their prohibitions on “organic” designations for hydroponic production?

MM: No.

BFP: Is it possible that soil-less methods that adhere to current organic Approved List guidelines might be assigned a different marketing category, other than “organic?”

MM: Production operations that comply with the USDA organic regulations and obtain certification by a NOP accredited certifying agent may sell, label and represent their products as organic. USDA has no plans for developing additional labeling or marketing categories.